Barrow Convention Skip Unsurprising

Georgia Congressman John Barrow's decision to skip this year's Democratic National Convention doesn't surprise political analysts.

The Democrat from Augusta has a long history of distancing himself from his party.

Barrow voted against President Obama's health care reform and just last month, Barrow broke with party leaders to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress.

That prompted the chairman of Georgia's Democratic convention delegates to call Barrow a member of the GOP in diguise saying "He mights as well go on and be Republican."

University of Georgia political scientist Charles Bullock says, Barrow is doing what he has to do to get re-elected.

"He's used to running in districts that tilt Republican, but the new one is even more slanted towards the GOP and therefore he has to go an extra step," Bullock says.

Republican state lawmakers last year redrew Barrow's district to include more GOP voters.

"Members of Congress often don't attend these and I'm sure his calculation is that he wants to build as much distance as he possibly can between himself and Barrack Obama," Bullock says. "And he would want to do that because I'm sure his assessment is that Barrack Obama is not going to carry his new congressional district."

A Barrow spokeman says the Congressman won't attend the August 27th because he's planning events in Georgia during that time.

The Democrat moved from Savannah to Augusta this year to remain in the reshaped 12th District.